Dye study on the Des Plaines River at Brandon Road Lock and Dam near Rockdale, Illinois (October 20-21, 2015)

Summary

On October 20-21, 2015, the U.S. Geological Survey conducted a dye study on the Des Plaines River at Brandon Road Lock and Dam (BRLD) near Rockdale, Illinois. The purpose of this dye study was to assess the mixing, advection, and dispersion of dye within the BRLD lock chamber and in the approach channel downstream. These data will inform designs of potential strategies for preventing upstream transport of invasive Asian carp through the BRLD. Dye was injected into the intakes for the lock chamber at the start of the filling process. The dye was injected through grates atop the intake channels on both sides of the lock. Injection began at 10:24 on October 20, 2015, and ended at 10:30 on October 20, 2015. A total of 4 liters of Rhodamine [...]

Summary

On October 20-21, 2015, the U.S. Geological Survey conducted a dye study on the Des Plaines River at Brandon Road Lock and Dam (BRLD) near Rockdale, Illinois. The purpose of this dye study was to assess the mixing, advection, and dispersion of dye within the BRLD lock chamber and in the approach channel downstream. These data will inform designs of potential strategies for preventing upstream transport of invasive Asian carp through the BRLD. Dye was injected into the intakes for the lock chamber at the start of the filling process. The dye was injected through grates atop the intake channels on both sides of the lock. Injection began at 10:24 on October 20, 2015, and ended at 10:30 on October 20, 2015. A total of 4 liters of Rhodamine WT in a 20 percent solution was injected (2 liters on each side of the lock). The target dye concentration in the lock chamber was 9 parts per billion (ppb). Following filling of the lock, the lock was emptied, releasing the dyed lock water downstream. In addition, a 17-minute flushing operation was performed by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers to assess lock flushing efficiency. Submersible fluorometers were used to measure dye concentrations in the lock chamber and downstream of the lock in the approach channel throughout this process. Fluorometers were deployed at five fixed locations downstream of the lock and two additional fluorometers were mounted to two mobile survey vessels that surveyed the dye plume exiting the lock chamber. Within the lock chamber, vertical profiles of dye concentration were measured at 15 fixed stations.